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    Vi Pei Bistro

    3.9 (48 reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Vi Pei Bistro Photos

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    VI PEI BISTRO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Vi Pei Bistro

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    Pan seared scallops in tomato-based sauce.... Looks better than it tastes.
    Chris T.

    Who would have thought such a quaint little bistro would be located in this neighborhood? Came here for dinner, upon a friend's recommendation, after spending all day at "the bluffs". Our party of 4 entered the small restaurant around 7pm. The menu mainly focuses on a wide variety of pasta, with a small selection of salads to choose from. I ordered the pan-seared scallops with tomato sauce. Huge scallops, with the texture was off... Frozen I presume. Tasted meh- lacked flavor. But my friend's creamed based chicken and mushroom penne was delish!! I think bacon bits were used to amp the flavor. Other parties of our group enjoyed their dishes, so give this place a passing grade. I've had better pasta, but I guess it's hit or miss depending on which pasta you order.

    Margherita Pizza
    Catherine N.

    Ordered brunch from here today via skip the dishes. Eggs Benedict with spinach + mushrooms. I always enjoy their salad (not especially in the hot container but still yummy) and appreciated the hollandaise sauce on the side however it totally gelled (only reason this wasn't a 5 experience.

    Ham/Cheese/Spinach Eggs Benny
    Lisa V.

    Sunday breakfast anyone? I don't get out in Scarborough too often, so we decided to try Vi Pei. Judging by the name, I wasn't really sure what to expect. Parking is a little funky here, so if you're parking out front, I recommend backing in. We were greeted warmly and seated. Their coffee is pretty good...may be because I just woke up, but either way, I had 2 cups. My mom got the Ham, Cheese and Spinach Eggs Benedict with homefries and salad. I got the Brie Stuffed Brioche French Toast. She thinks it's weird to get salad with eggs, but that's how brunch rolls! Both dishes were huge! The hollandaise sauce is nice and creamy and they don't hold back on the veggies. My French toast was fantastic. The sweetness of the French toast went perfectly with the smooth brie. The fruit was very fresh. Good portions! On yet another Sunday Breakfast, My mom had the Seafood Omelette and I had good ol' Eggs Benedict. The omelette had a little bit of everything in it. My eggs benny was as expected, cooked to order and awesome. Good salad and homefries; can't go wrong! Service was good on both visits; a cheerful bunch. This place gets packed from breakfast right to lunch. I haven't been for dinner, but I'm hoping to! Glad it's close to home!

    Keith's bottle and glass. Looked fancy, and I liked the framing.
    Michael S.

    I've only ever been to Vi Pei with family, which isn't very large (2-4 people, max), so I apologize if my experience sounds biased due to having so few people. I've seen groups as big as 10 dining in, but I can't be sure how many more they'd fit - it's a beautiful hole-in-the-wall along Kingston Road! I've probably only came here a maximum of 10 times, but every single time has been a unique and amazing experience. I've had a variety of dishes - mostly between brunch and lunch dishes, although I've been here for dinner & dessert at least twice. I'm a big fan of value-to-fullness ratio, and Vi Pei delivers solidly on that, as well as the presentation of the food & the service as well as professionalism of the staff. Brunch selection is amazing, in both the senses of variety and quality. I've had the pancakes. I've had the French Toast. I learned about Poached Eggs for the first time, and learned about the differences in hardness of poached eggs. After eating the hard poached eggs here, I can't imagine eating eggs any other way - when I scramble my own eggs at home I long for these ones instead! Lunch selection is quite good too. I don't exactly remember specifics (I come here mostly for brunch, if you can tell by the above paragraph), but the lunch items I ordered were quite filling, and I remember tipping a handsome amount because of how quickly the food was served (will update review when I go again). Dinner selection was interesting. There are at least three pages of pasta, and one page dedicated to items that, well, aren't pasta. The pasta selections are high in quality and expansive in selection/variety. The non-pasta options are fewer (obviously), but still high in quality (I've had the steak before - it was quite good, albeit a little overcooked - I usually get medium rare, but I received it medium well, YMMV!). Before I move on to the "final course", I want to mention that these guys have impeccable presentation; the vegetables are really great, in both the look and taste! They give you some fruits instead of veggies if you go for Breakfast/Brunch, and these are always well designed and great tasting -- not to mention filling. Easily the best value for my money, since I've begun a bit of a health kick recently. Dessert - where do I begin. I've had the tartufo before; it's probably one of the greatest desserts I've ever eaten - I would definitely recommend it. Great presentation, great taste, and great value for my money. Their other desserts are amazing too - there's a dish that has three slices of different kinds of pie for $15 - great for sampling or if you just want every kind of pie they have! Individually the dessert dishes (food-wise) are $6.50 each, on average. One reason I give it a 4.5-star instead of a 5 is because it's TINY. We're talking two rows of tables all the way to the back, and that's it. If it was able to accommodate more people, I'd probably be all-in regardless, but I really like the fact that it's so intimate and small. I've rounded up for posterity's sake - they deserve it in any case. Another major reason is the cost of the food. Sure, it's great for the price range, but there's no "tiny" option or "mix-and-match" - it's massive portion sizes for a fair (but high, since it's a massive portion) price. If I was able to ask for a bigger dish and remove items with some savings, it'd easily be 5/5 all day every day. TL;DR: Great place to be for brunch/lunch; dinner menu is lacking outside of pasta (they're great for pasta, though!); dessert menu is a "must-try", even if you only like the cafe lattes or other dessert-like drinks. I'll definitely be going in the near future, so expect pictures of my food to come soon! I've only recently started uploading (let alone snapping) pictures of the places I review, so keep an eye out!

    Eggs Portobello
    Darryl C.

    4.5 stars. Came here on a friend's suggestion and enjoyed a great meal. I ordered the eggs portobello and my fiancé had the eggs ViPei. They were both eggs benedict dishes however instead of peameal bacon being used, my dish had poached eggs over portobello mushrooms, baby spinach and sausage while my fiancé had a similar dish but with sautéed spinach and mixed mushrooms. The home fries that the dishes came with were nice and crispy and there was also some lightly dressed greens and fruit. Our server was very attentive and made sure our water and coffee were always filled. The food came out very quickly and we enjoyed a nice meal to start our day. We don't travel to the east end too often but we would definitely come back the next time we are in the area.

    Their bland benne special with crab cake, grilled shrimp and eggs benne. Meh
    Veronica J.

    Bought the one of the benne specials. I can't remember the name which speaks to how unforgettable the dish was. The shrimps, crab cake, sitting on a potato hash and eggs benne with hollandaise sauce was all pretty bland. For $16 I expected a party in my mouth. This was not. Redeeming qualities was the mango salad dressing on the salad and the ripe fruits on the side which you can get on any otheir other dishes. I would not get this dish again. Not giving up on this place though. Will come back and try their other dishes and hoping for the best!

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    11 months ago

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    2 years ago

    first time here and was very impressed fast service and and delicious a great value

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    5 years ago

    I just discovered the restaurant 2 weeks ago and have been there already 4 times- such great food from Brunch to Dinner- outstanding

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    9 years ago

    Luv this place for any occasion. Great anytime of the day. Great service and staff. Super clean. Def. A repeat client!

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    The food is delicious, fast and so reasonable. The server we had was attentive and pretty charming.

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    Vi Pei Bistro Reviews in Other Languages

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    Donatello Restaurant

    Donatello Restaurant

    3.8(223 reviews)
    14.6 kmDowntown Core
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    Of all the Italian spots in downtown Toronto, Donatello felt like one of the most homey and…read moreold-school. I came here with my best friend for a birthday dinner, and I could immediately see why this place has lasted for decades. It's tucked inside an old house on Elm Street, and the whole restaurant has that warm, family-run charm that makes you feel like people have been coming here for years and bringing more people back with them. The tables are definitely close together, so it's a little tight when the restaurant gets busy, but honestly that also adds to the lively energy because there was a steady flow of people coming in all night. Food-wise, there were a few dishes that really stood out. The carpaccio is such a good order, very thinly sliced raw beef, simple and classic, and honestly one of the most reasonably priced versions I've seen. My personal favorite was the prosciutto & melon. It's such a simple dish, but when it's done well, it really hits, and this one did. The real star for me though was the Cozze Marinara. The mussels were plump, tender, and clean, with no sandy bits, and the garlicky tomato sauce was so good that I ended up scooping it up with bread until the plate was basically spotless. We also tried the Vitello Marsala with mushrooms and Penne Arrabbiata, which felt very classic and comforting. If you like traditional Italian flavors, this is the kind of dish that will make you happy. That said, I personally wouldn't recommend mixing the meat and pasta together too much, I think they shine better on their own. Later we also ordered the garlic grilled seafood fettuccine because we were enjoying ourselves so much, and that one was much lighter in flavor. Nice enough, but probably not the best choice if you like richer or bolder pasta dishes. By the end we were completely full and had to leave a few strands of fettuccine behind, which almost never happens for me. Overall, Donatello feels like the kind of neighborhood Italian restaurant people return to for comfort, generous portions, and that warm family run atmosphere. It may not be the most spacious or modern place, but it has heart, and some dishes were genuinely memorable.

    Donatello is considered a fine dining Italian restaurant. And it didn't disappoint. The foid and…read moreservice were excellent. The vibe was a slightly darkened room (for the evening). There is an upstairs balcony seating but I've never sat there. During warm weather, there is plenty of roadside outdoor seating too. This is my fourth time here but I never wrote a review fir the restaurant before. We ordered the following: 1. Shrimp Perno (daily special $6/shrimp). Jumbo Shrimp sautéed in garlic, white wine, tomatoes, scallions, and finished off with a shot of perno liquor. 2. Rack of Lamb (daily special $59.95). Four pieces of lamb in a rack, with a rich portion wine reduced sauce, that has a touch of mint to it, and Penne Pasta in a tomato rose sauce. The table bread was really good. The crust was crispy but the inside was fluffy. The soft butter that came it was so tasty. The bread was perfect for dipping in the sauce that came with the shrimp. We asked for a second basket of bread and they put two loafs in the second basket. It was too much so they were willing to let us take it home. The shrimps were definitely jumbo. It was so filling. Two pieces (per person) were good enough as an appetizer. The shrimps were perfectly cooked. We requested the lamb be cooked medium rare. It was definitely medium rare. It was juicy and did not have a gamey taste. It tastes great. The pasta was perfectly al dente. The tomato rose sauce was really good. They offered to grind parmesan cheese and pepper so we got both. There is free WiFi. The restaurant is wheelchair accessible. There is paid neighbourhood street parking and paid parking lots. Review 2025-187

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    Terroni - spinach ravioli-the BEST

    Terroni

    3.3(864 reviews)
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    Terroni on Adelaide is a beautiful Italian restaurant with a lot of character and history, set…read moreinside a former courthouse building from 1852 that still shows off its dramatic ceilings, fireplaces, and sunlit atrium. It's a dining experience you don't see every day in Toronto. Even the washrooms are memorable, tucked away in the basement in what used to be old jail cells, which adds to the charm and gives the whole place a bit of personality. We went for an early Sunday dinner before a concert at Massey Hall. The restaurant got pretty busy as the evening went on, but it never felt chaotic. The atmosphere is lovely and lively, a great choice for a special night out or a pre-show meal. We started with Calamari alla Griglia with mixed greens, capers, onions, and fresh tomatoes. It was a fresh, bright appetizer with good balance. For mains, my date had the Spaghetti in Canna a Mare with clams, mussels, calamari, scallop, and tiger shrimp in a tomato sauce. The menu described it as mildly spicy, but it definitely had a noticeable kick. Still, the flavours were really good. I ordered the Ravioli al Brasato with braised beef, butter, sage, and parmigiano. It was tasty and comforting, though portion-wise I could have used a few more ravioli. I was still a bit hungry after and honestly double the size would have been perfect for me. For dessert we shared the Tiramisu with espresso-soaked savoiardi, mascarpone, and cocoa. I had an amaro while my date finished with zambuca. A sweet and satisfying way to wrap up the meal. The service was friendly, though drinks came out a bit slower than expected. Terroni's food is tasty, the setting is gorgeous, and it's easy to see why locals keep coming back. It's not cheap, but the quality and ambience make it worth trying, especially for dinner before a show or a relaxed date night in one of Toronto's most unique spaces.

    I wish I could say I enjoyed Terroni more. The venue itself was not held in the main restaurant…read more The company I work at booked out some of the upper floors for an event. There were four flights of stairs to get up to the first floor with the bar and main dining area. There was another two flights of stairs to get to the upper bar (which I was too tired to walk up to). The drinks at the bar were good and the staff were all great. We started with passed apps. Some of the flavour combinations were just off (the skewer with fruit, cheese and something else) - like they paired the wrong cheese with the fruit. The meal itself was a seat down meal (family style) which did take over two hours to complete for the amount of guests that were present (over 200 ppl). My favorite dish was the tomato and mozza salad. My most disappointed dish was the ragu pasta. Though containing a good amount of meat it was not saucy at all. The pizza was the brocolini was good as well. The reason I gave this restaurant three stars is strictly for the lack of elevator and the food quality vs the price. For what you are paying, there is so much higher quality food in the city and I honestly think you can get better bang for buck elsewhere.

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    Piccolo Caffe E Vino - Frittata

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    4.3(19 reviews)
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    Went here for dinner on a Saturday night / great location and cute spot! I love the branding and…read morethe inside + feels very trendy. This is a wine bar - the house lager was bad (maybe my own bad decision) and the red I got was fine ... nothing to write home about. However place fell apart with the food - the shrimp came with 5 medium sized shrimp with the tails, legs and shells on and were under seasoned. The artichokes were mediocre (loved the sauce they came with). Worst of all was the "Ontario peaches" with the burrata were totally canned peaches - could've even been dole brand! This place has amazing potential with the location and vibe - but the food just was not it. Small portions and the price didn't match what was served. The service was friendly but nothing too crazy. Go here for the drinks, but maybe not for the dinner!

    Went with a friend on a Saturday night and it was pretty easy to get a seat, but they do take…read morereservations. Our server was great at helping us pick our wine, he mentioned that their wines are all on the dry side which is perfect for me, I'm not one for sweet wines. We also had two of their small plates the mussels and the burrata. The mussels tasted great with the sauce, a little garlicky which I prefer. The combination of the peach and mint went really well with the burrata. Light and easy to eat. The patio at night is one of the highlights. The only small complaint was it did take a while to get our wine after we ordered it and a little while to get our check. Otherwise cute spot.

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    Fried Artichoke, shrimp and peach burrata

    Vi Pei Bistro - newcanadian - Updated May 2026

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